Incorporated Trades of Dumfries. 411 



signatories shall be bound or desired to go out of the county, but 

 in case of actual invasion." 



(b) To George Muir, Esq., Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh. 

 " Sir, — Francis Carlyle, late commander of the King's 

 Excise Yacht at Portpatrick, presently possesses a house and 

 cow's grass at Yetts, a farm belonging to Mr Sharp of Hoddom. 

 The tack of this farm expires at Candlemas next, and as the said 

 Francis Carlyle is desirous of taking a lease of this farm to com- 

 mence at the said term from you and the Gentlemen Trustees 

 appointed for Charles Sharp, Esq., I hereby offer you nine 

 shillings pr. acre for a lease of nineteen years of rent for said 

 farm (a small piece of moss ground being about i^ acre to pay 

 no rent but to be given in the bargain). And as the house he 

 presently possesses is in a ruinous condition and stands in great 

 need of immediate repair. He is willing to repair the same at his 

 own expense providing you and the other Trustees will reimburse 

 him of the expense thereof which will be about five or six pounds. 

 In case you do not accept of the above offer for the Farm and 

 grant him a lease thereof in the above terms your communicating 

 this to the other Gentlemen and letting me know if you and them 

 agree to this proposal will oblige. 



Sir, 

 Your most obedt. humble Servt., 

 FRAS. CARLYLE." 

 " Edinbr., 19th Febry., 1773." 

 This Fras. Carlyle was grand-uncle to Thomas Carlyle, and 

 is referred to in his Reminiscences, Vol. I., page t^t,, as "the 

 Captain of Middlebie." 



I. — Incorporated Trades of Dumfries. With Special 

 Reference to the Weavers. By Mr W. Dickie. 



I have elsewhere* presented some gleanings from the general 

 records of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Dumfries. Recently 

 I have had the opportunity of perusing the earliest extant minutes 

 of the Weavers. The books in which they are recorded were 

 in the possession of the late Mr James Muir, the last surviving 

 member of the incorporation, and it is to the courtesy of his son- 



* In " Aiild Lang Syne" column of "Dumfries Standard." 



